Velvet Breaks by Don Philippe

Sonar Kollektiv is set to release the latest album from lo-fi pioneer Don Philippe. Titled Velvet Breaks, the new record is a fully instrumental effort.

With its textured production, broken rhythms, and a distinctly analog warmth, Velvet Breaks is a slow-burning, introspective work - a meditation on fragility, erosion, and beauty in decay.

Don Philippe, real name Philippe A. Kayser, brings decades of musical experience to the project. A professional drummer in the 1980s and later active as a pianist and guitarist, Kayser has worked since the 1990s as a composer and producer from his own studio. He is also a co-founder of the legendary German hip-hop group Freundeskreis, a pioneering act that helped define the sound and culture of German rap.

Since 2015, Don Philippe has focused on instrumental hip-hop, releasing over ten solo albums across various independent labels and building a global fanbase on streaming platforms. His music bridges the soulful subtleties of jazz with the grit of classic boom-bap, always delivered with a delicate, cinematic touch. On velvet breaks, that mastery is on full display. From the crackle of dusty drum loops to the hazy elegance of Rhodes melodies and tape-saturated fragments, the album builds a fragile world where silence and space are just as important as sound. The album unfolds like a narrative, with each track title suggesting a step in a process of unraveling:

“fibers displaced,” “edges,” “a rupture,” “tension,” “entanglement” - culminating in the title track, “velvet is broken.” There is no need for words here. The beats speak for themselves, telling a story in fragments, textures, and ghostly grooves.

With velvet breaks, Don Philippe delivers a deeply personal and musically rich addition to his catalog - a record for late nights, long walks, and quiet reflection. It's an ode to imperfection and emotional precision.

Don Philippe - Velvet Breaks
Release Date October 2025
Label Sonar Kollektiv

Tracklist
1. velvet breaks
2. a rip
3. fibers displaced
4. displacement
5. edges
6. torn
7. unraveling
8. exposed
9. tension
10. at the seams
11. stiff
12. a rupture
13. of composition
14. a clear thread
15. entanglement
16. velvet is broken